MORAGA, Calif. – The University of San Francisco men's soccer began its difficult final stretch of the spring 2021 season today at Saint Mary's Stadium taking on the No. 23 Saint Mary's Gaels. Though the young Dons team played solid soccer for large stretches of the contest, Saint Mary's came away with a 3-1 win on Sunday afternoon.
 
USF (4-4-0, 3-2-0 WCC) matched their season-high with 11 shots on the day, four coming on goal. But the Dons offense could not keep pace with the more experienced Saint Mary's (5-0-1, 3-0-1 WCC) squad which finished the day with 18 shots on goal, five on goal.

"It took us too long to find our rhythm today and against a team like Saint Mary's there isn't room for that," said head coach Leonard Griffin. "At times we showed what we are capable of and we'll look to build on those moments and bounce back next week." 

The Dons' lone goal of the contest came in the 61^st minute when Nonso Adimabua notched his third goal of the season. The assist went to Kevyn Lo, his second on the year. The Gaels got goals from Christian Engmann, Boyd Curry, and Sebastian Schacht.  
 
In the first 45 the Dons had the momentum early with shots on goal by both Ivo Neto and Rodrigo Bueno.  Defensively, USF's back row was up to the task, holding the Gaels without a shot through the first 16 minutes.
 
After the 16-minute mark the Gaels stole the momentum.  Saint Mary's took four shots in a three-minute span, including the game's first goal in the 19-minute mark.
 
SMC scored when a fast pass off a corner kick led to a loose ball in the box. The Gaels' Christian Engmann sent a shot on goal kicking the ball off his heel, Dons' starting keeper Brandon Keniston was briefly up to the challenge knocking the ball away to safety. However, he could not corral the loose ball and Engmann wound up with the ball at his feet all alone in the box and chipped it into the top right corner for the goal.
 
Following the goal, the Dons had a few more looks but nothing substantial. Saint Mary's defense absolutely collapsed in the back row anytime the Dons crossed midfield and made it very difficult for USF to get any good shots.  
 
The second half began with Alejandro Munoz replacing Keniston in goal. The Gaels wasted no time putting pressure on the redshirt senior. In the 49^th minute SMC scored their second goal of the contest when Engmann threw a ball near the flag into the box where Boyd Curry sent the shot to the lower left corner off a header.
 
Midway through the second half the Dons finally got on the board. Kevyn Lo stole the ball from the Gaels near midfield and immediately sent a through pass to a wide open Adimabua. The Dons' freshman took two dribbles, moved to his left past Saint Mary's keeper Nicholas Lapinid who came out of the box, and blasted a shot with his right foot to the back of the net for his third goal of the season.
 
Late in the contest, the Dons had their chances at an equalizer with Adimabua blasting a shot that sailed just to the right of the net.
 
The game tying goal would not come. Chippy play all afternoon eventually led to a pair of red cards issued to both teams, first to the Dons. With USF briefly playing down a man, the Dons were forced to foul the Gaels in the box in the 85^th minute.  The penalty kick by Sebastian Schact gave the Gaels a two-goal lead which was more than enough for the Gaels to hold on.
 
Munoz (3-1-0) took his first loss of the season, allowing the two goals. Lapinid (4-0-1) finished with three saves and the one goal surrendered.
 
USF will return to action on Saturday, April 3 when they travel to Los Angeles, Calif., to take on Loyola Marymount. That game is slated for a 4:00 p.m. start and will be streamed on the WCC Network.